NASA/MSFC and UA Huntsville Mission visit CATHALAC

A National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Marshall Space Flight Center joint mission with the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) visited CATHALAC from the 14 thru 17 January, 2009.

The President of the UAH, Dr. David B. William and his wife, led the visiting delegation which included NASA scientists to meet with CATHALAC’s Director, Emilio Sempris in order to acquire a first hand perception for the potential of outreaching Latin Americans and Caribbeans, through courses, sabbaticals, internship programs, joint research with CATHALAC staff and local universities, as well as other possibilities to be established in Panama for the benefit of the region. The agenda included a visit to CATHALAC’s planned campus where its new facilities will be located.

UAH is renowned for its engineering and science programs, such as astrophysics and atmospheric science. Scientists at UAH managed the first "commercial," non-government rocket programs in the U.S. The first "high-temperature" superconductor was discovered at UAH and also from it came the first U.S. experiment flown aboard the Soviet Mir space station. It is a Space Grant university, and has a history of cooperation with NASA at the nearby Marshall Space Flight Center. In conjunction with helping NASA reach its goals, UAH makes NASA's research and technology available to all of Alabama's colleges and universities. The National Space Science and Technology Center is on the UAH campus.

CATHALAC is an international organization at the service of the humid tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean. Its objective is to promote sustainable development through applied research and development, education and technology transfer on water resources and the environment, facilitating the means to improve the quality of life in countries of the humid tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean. CATHALAC and NASA among other partners like USAID, are currently implementing SERVIR, www.servirglobal.net.

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